In a world hungry for hope and belonging, ISP alumni are living proof that spiritual care and companionship can change everything. 

From July 24–27, 2025, Ignatian educators, spiritual directors and Jesuits gathered in Dallas for the Ignatian Spirituality Conference, an event organized by the Ignatian Spirituality Institute (www.ignatianinstitute.org). The theme, Hope: Living Between Faith and Love, felt especially urgent in a time marked by spiritual disconnection and isolation.

Over the weekend, ISP alumni and leaders Kevin Graves (San Diego) and Angelica Santana (Boston) led Witness to Hope sessions that grounded the theme in lived experience. Their reflections brought Ignatian spirituality into focus not through theology or theory, but through sacred story.

A Circle of Hope and Transformation

Kevin began by introducing himself as part of the ISP team in San Diego. “I’ve led five retreats now,” he said. “Each one gets more exciting.” He described life in a shelter for three years alongside 300 other men. “You’d be surprised how quiet it is,” he told the group. “That quietness comes from desperation, from people being destitute, feeling like they have no hope.”

When ISP first approached him, Kevin said, “I thought, here we go, one of these groups that’s going to give me some socks and toothpaste.” But what he found instead was a circle of trust and transformation. ISP invited him not only to receive but to lead.

“We sat down and shared. And it was like God was sitting right there, going, ‘Okay, talk this out. I’m in your conversation.’” 

“Once the word gets out, people come to us asking: ‘Can I go on a retreat?’ That’s the best feeling. Because I know what ISP is offering.” — Kevin Graves

Spiritual companionship, grounded in mutual respect, has become a foundation in his life. Kevin now helps lead retreats and support others in recovery.

A Spark of Belonging, A Path to Leadership

Angelica’s story also echoed the transformative nature of ISP’s programs. “I didn’t think hope was for anybody that was like me,” she said. “I burnt my life down to the ground.” She shared how addiction, trauma, and a decade in a destructive marriage left her unhoused and alone, until ISP changed her understanding of where God meets us.

“It’s not a religion. It’s not a church service. ISP invited me into this intimate, sacred space with God.” — Angelica Santana

She recalled sitting with other women in recovery and realizing she wasn’t alone. “I didn’t feel awkward. I didn’t feel judged. I felt really loved, wrapped in love.”

That belonging sparked a deeper purpose. Angelica now volunteers with ISP and helps lead retreats and spiritual reflection circles. What began with quiet presence has grown into steady leadership, rooted in compassion and faith. 

“There’s nothing you can really say to fix someone like me… But when you’re present, and you listen, and you guide someone to Jesus. He comes into the darkness. He wasn’t afraid of it. He wasn’t intimidated. He lit it up.” — Angelica Santana

Stories like Angelica’s and Kevin’s are heard throughout ISP’s national network, where participants describe both an inner sense of hope, self-worth, and belonging, and outer changes like renewed relationships, leadership, and the confidence to pursue new possibilities — from family reconnection to stable housing and meaningful work.

Sharing, Listening, and Mutual Transformation

Each Witness to Hope session ended with five minutes of paired reflection. ISP Regional Director Jim Broderick-King, who facilitated, noted the response: “People really engaged. There were tears, deep exchanges, a lot of gratitude. It felt like something moved.”

He later added, “Kevin and Angelica brought something very different to the room. Their reflections helped people experience Ignatian spirituality through concrete stories and lived wisdom.”

Expanding the Circle

For many participants, this was their first encounter with the Ignatian Spirituality Project. Several expressed interest in connecting locally. Others said the sessions challenged assumptions about who gets to lead spiritual conversations.

“Having ISP leaders here, especially in this way, kind of broke the mold of who is welcome in this space,” one organizer said. “It helped people think in a different way.”

The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) believes spiritual care and companionship have a critical role to play in recovery from homelessness and addiction. A Jesuit ministry, ISP has spent 25 years inviting individuals to discover hope, belonging, and new purpose—healing from within as they work to recover and rebuild their lives. Last year alone, more than 5,500 people participated in ISP retreats and reflection circles across 20 cities nationwide. 

Kevin and Angelica’s stories are just two among thousands, showing how transformation begins in a circle and ripples outward, building a growing movement of spiritual renewal and renewed possibilities across communities.

However you feel called — through prayer, volunteering, making a gift, by inviting ISP alumni to share their wisdom in your community, or by simply staying in touch — you help expand the circle of hope.

Check out more images from the event: